Your next laptop could have a continuous power battery that lasts for 30 years without a single recharge thanks to work being funded by the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory. The breakthrough betavoltaic power cells are constructed from semiconductors and use radioisotopes as the energy source. As the radioactive material decays it emits beta particles that transform into electric power capable of fueling an electrical device like a laptop for years. Although betavoltaic batteries sound Nuclear they’re not. Betavoltaics generate power when an electron strikes a particular interface between two layers of material. The process uses beta electron emissions that occur when a neutron decays into a proton which causes a forward bias in the semiconductor. This makes the betavoltaic cell a forward bias diode of sorts, similar in some respects to a photovoltaic (solar) cell. Electrons scatter out of their normal orbits in the semiconductor and into the circuit creating a usable electric current. The profile of the batteries can be quite small and thin, also the reaction is non-thermal which means laptops and other small devices like mobile phones will run much cooler than with traditional lithium-ion power batteries. If all goes well plans are for these cells to reach store shelves in about 2 to 3 years.

Just don't try and dismantle one or else you'll end up like marie curie!

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its ß Radiation, hi energy electrons basically. clothing can protect against those, and can only cause minor damage to the germinal layer of the skin over long periods of exposure. no risk in the slightest of a third arm growing out your head. the radiation only travels a few Ft anyways.

Your next laptop could have a continuous power battery that lasts for 30 years without a single recharge thanks to work being funded by the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory. The breakthrough betavoltaic power cells are constructed from semiconductors and use radioisotopes as the energy source. As the radioactive material decays it emits beta particles that transform into electric power capable of fueling an electrical device like a laptop for years. Although betavoltaic batteries sound Nuclear they’re not. Betavoltaics generate power when an electron strikes a particular interface between two layers of material. The process uses beta electron emissions that occur when a neutron decays into a proton which causes a forward bias in the semiconductor. This makes the betavoltaic cell a forward bias diode of sorts, similar in some respects to a photovoltaic (solar) cell. Electrons scatter out of their normal orbits in the semiconductor and into the circuit creating a usable electric current. The profile of the batteries can be quite small and thin, also the reaction is non-thermal which means laptops and other small devices like mobile phones will run much cooler than with traditional lithium-ion power batteries. If all goes well plans are for these cells to reach store shelves in about 2 to 3 years.

At that time, I wonder how much is that laptop going to cost us? I guess it's gotta be an affordable price. And how are companies out there going to make money selling their Lithium batteries for the upgrades.

I bet this gets bought by one of the big companies, patented, and locked in a dusty old vault forever, with clean running fuels, everlasting light bulbs, and engines that can run for millions of miles without breakdown

I bet this gets bought by one of the big companies, patented, and locked in a dusty old vault forever, with clean running fuels, everlasting light bulbs, and engines that can run for millions of miles without breakdown

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Same reason why they probably have ways to actually give us true 1 GB per second speeds across the internetz (after all Ethernet does support it now and there are even some universities that use a shared connection on the internet that only for their use and it is 100GBPS . No joke im quite serious)

That has been the biggest problem with battery powered cars is that they only last for so long before needing a long recharge.

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Well let's say this 1.5V AA cell can discharge at 2 amps (same as energizer lithium). That's 3 watts. And a car needs (say) 100kW. Then you'd need 33,000 of them to run your car. At 15g each that's about 500kg of battery to put in your car. And 33 million dollars!

I presented my Physics Professor with this exact same Idea over 15 years ago. He told me I was foolish and was waisting my time. Guess I should have took out a patent. (He also worked for DOD).

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Yes, that is an major problem, know it alls stifling true (beyond them) innovation. Why don't you send him this quote with article and comments. If he has any sense he should consider you for an job.

There was an similar sounding battery technology announced in the late 80's. It was proposed for an car battery I think, that would recharge itself for 17 years, could be protected from radiation using aluminium foil, used low grade radiative waste. But I can't remember the details of how it did this. Disappeared without much of an trace.